Reign of Winter

Outside of White Throne

After the Troll Bridge we travel through a forest for half a day and see White Throne. It is hard to get into White Throne so Nadya suggests we go to the Fish Camps to talk to a relative of hers.

People are poor. There are thugs who the towns people pay protection money to, who claim to be the law but do not appear to be. The guards were beating up a man, we intervened. Edmond heals the fisherman who was being abused. The guards get mouthy and Uther cuts down their leader. The others flee. The group follows them to the jail. We find the jail, which is not well kept.

Uther goes to the back door and opens it while the rest of the group detects evil and magic and other things. uther finds a man dressed in black with a black cloth across his face, Marcian Enarxion.

Uther slowly pulls his weapons out loud enough to attract attention of the man who is sitting in front of an open chest. The man hears the door open and shoots a cross bow bolt into Uther, and he responds. The door behind Uther’s opponent opens and an ogre attacks through the door.
Croup tries the front door and it is barred closed. Uther discovers there are two ogres in the room and three more guards as he moves into the main room where his opponent withdrew.

Maudril summons his mount and the two of them beat on the door.

Nadya runs to the back of the building as Edmond tries to break through the wall.

The group in the front breaks down the wall and the door. Nayda comes to the back and starts shooting arrows. Krupe comes to the back door and starts throwing spells.

The thugs were defeated and Ndya’s uncle was freed. (Ringeirr Malenkov)

He told us of a group. The Heralds of Summer Return. He knows how to get into city. Queen Ivana has declared martial law and set up a new guard. The Iron Guard replacing the old guard.

They check people in the city for papers even on the streets.

We will enter the city through the district called the Howlings. The home of the winter wolves. The gate is a hole in the wall with lax security.

We hide our weapons and armor in the fish cart with a few exceptions. Uther hides a dagger and kukri on his person. Maudril keeps a dagger.

The walls are 30 feet high and appear to be giant femurs fused together. The wall are made of stone. We go to the opening in the wall at the Howlings.

We enter and see a woman with silver hair, Greta. Maudril makes a date to meet her later tonight. He is to meet her at the Winter Hole. She wants to see if he can out drink her. Uther pays to get by her into the city for the rest of the group.

The party sees a mirror man in the distance and hides in an alley., The mirror man notices them and a telepathic voice in Uther’s head asks what he is doing. He responds with an attack (2 critical hits). The mirror man is self healing and has some kind of damage reduction.
After the initial attack Uther has been falling behind at damage versus healing. Krupe enlarges Uther. Maudril jumps into the battle and takes the evil creature out.

After unloading the fish and head to where we are going to get the papers. We were harassed by a couple of winter wolves in an alley. We got past that encounter and then moved on. Then a human ran out of a house to use and tried to climb over our cart with our weapons and armor in it covered with a thin layer of fish. Another winter wolf came out of the house and grabbed him saying that he had messed up for the last time and he would eat the slave.
Maudril would not stand for that and we entered the wolf’s den under the pretense of Mauldril selling Uther as a cook.

It might be harder than it looks

Or how to die in the Cold

After resting at the farm and shopping in the small town the party continues toward White Throne.

AMBUSH – Four rangers hiding behind rocks with their eagle companions and a winter wolf attack the party. The party did not notice them and were surrounded as the falcons flew from the sky, and arrows flew into Nadya. Krupe was attacked by falcons and drops to the ground as Edmond is bitten by the wolf and tripped. Maudril is hit by several arrows and Uther rushes the rangers.

Uther engages the first ranger and draws first blood. Krupe is on the ground fighting off the eagles. Maudril has defended himself against the incoming arrows.

Nadya kills a falcon, and Krupe puts one to sleep. Edmond wounds one but misses the wolf.

Krupe passes out for a third time from the wounds he has taken from the falcon’s slashing claws and pecking beaks.
Krupe kills another falcon with acid splash. Uther takes down the first bowman. The wolf blows a icy cone of breath over Naudril and Edmond. Two of the archers drop their bows and charge Uther.

Maudril and Edmond finish off theKrupe blinds one of the archer. Edmond shoots one of the archers fighting Uther, and Uther continues to deal damage to his two remaining foe.

Uther puts the archer with an arrow in him on the ground. The other two surrendered.

Questioning the archers reveals…

They are winter guard and serve the Queen in White Throne. A winter witch told their captain to go out and guard against a strange group travelling to White Throne.

The wolf had different color eyes. It can be skinned and get a magical rime coat from it… Helps other winter wolves think the wearer is a winter wolf.

The group rests and heals. We leave the area of the battle and head toward White Throne again.

We come upon a snow field with mounds in the snow. 3 feet to 12 feet tall.
Uther shoots an arrow into one but there is no response. We approach the mounds and Maudril detects evil but finds none. Uther brushes one off that and it is stone but reminiscent of a humanoid form. Krupe notices that he feels magic is the air and in his bones. The whole area radiates magic. This is the area of a rebellious daughter of Baba Yaga, and this may be the Army of the witch that rebelled.

Also heard snow goblins live in encampments around the stone that the witch was turned into. Krupe wants to explore the magic area to see what he finds.

Find a pit with benches that it appears goblins use in their rituals. The pit is empty, weapons and a chest there with banners.

Goblins emerge from behind rocks, and don’t seem friendly.
The goblins began shooting arrows at the party. And an alchemist hurling bombs from above on one of the stones.

Uther was knocked into a pit and placed a treasure chest in his bag.

Krupe takes massive damage from the alchemist. He blinds the alchemist, enlarges Maudril and backs away.

Uther climbs out of the pit and attacks a goblin.

Maudril attacks the alchemist. Uther takes down his goblin and moves to the next.

The goblins turn their arrows to Maudril. Shooting many arrows at him.

Maudril cuts a goblin in half.

The goblins break and leave the group standing among the stones.

Krupe investigates the magic of the stone that was once a witch.

As the group approaches White Throne they are confronted by TROLLS on a bridge. Three block the way and demand payment which included Edmond. Uther springs a surprise attack on the trolls and battle ensues. Three more trolls crawl from beneath the bridge on the other side behind the group and Uther and Nadya become grappled. The bloody battle takes its toll.
Nadya goes down and Krupe is struck by a rock.

Maudril is enlarged. Edmond is enlarged.

Maudril kills a couple of trolls. Freeing Uther and clearing their side of the bridge. Edmond is grappled. Maudril cannot get to the troll holding him.

Nadya is conscious. Maudril kills another troll and the remaining two trolls dive into the river.

OMG, We are all going to die...

The company continues to White Throne. We come across an area of summer in the winter wonderland. Krupe feels it is a null magic zone. We decide to skirt the patch of summer for various reasons. It was about a three mile detour.

A settlement in the distance.

We approach the settlement which has been destroyed in the past. There is a temple of Desna in the center of the village. There are two priest of Desna in ancient robes sweeping. They see the group as children. Their parents went to find a safe place and left the children in the Priests’ care. As Maudril approaches the Temple itself suddenly there are transparent children Frost Giants and Trolls all over the court yard. The priest changed into some undead creatures and attacked the party. Edmond and Uther dropped the first one and the other attacks Maudril. Krupe puts in down and the party could not effect the ghostly creatures.

Maudril determines it would take consecration to cleanse the temple but the party does not have the ability to cleanse it.

The next day the party arrives in Ellsprin, where Nadja wants to leave her twins.

On the outskirts the party passes a cottage and in front of the main door is a body in a pool of blood on the ground. As the party approaches to heal the person on the ground a woman yells from the cottage that it is a trap. The party stops and scans the woods around the tree. Maudril (the Reluctant Paladin detects two spots of evil.

A fey creature and a stick creature attack Edmond. As the sticks fly through the party, many take damage. Krupe fires flames at the twig creature and misses.

Uther slashes the twig creature and Edmond takes down the fey creature.

The twig man runs for the barne and Uther pursues him.

When Uther gets to the barn there is another fey with a faun bound. It cuts the fauns ropes and gives it a dagger and says kill him. Now is your chance.

The Fey and twig dude attack Uther.

Krupe rushes to the barn and is attacked by the fey creature and is knocked back.

Uther falls to the foul fey creatures. Krupe throws fire at the Fey.

The battle rages as Uther bleeds to death.

The party kills the fey and twig thing and free the faun. He claims his mother is the woman in the cottage.

Fey creature was a Zzababa and the twig creature a Faernip. Garen the Faun says he was driven out by the village people. His step father was killed by the fey.

The Paladin Code

The paladins of the Dawnflower are fierce warriors, like their goddess. They provide hope to the weak and support to the righteous. Their tenets include:

I will protect my allies with my life. They are my light and my strength, as I am their light and their strength. We rise together.

I will seek out and destroy the spawn of the Rough Beast. If I cannot defeat them, I will give my life trying. If my life would be wasted in the attempt, I will find allies. If any fall because of my inaction, their deaths life upon my soul, and I will atone for each.

I am fair to others, I expect nothing for myself but that which I need to survive.

The best battle is a battle I win. If I die, I can no longer fight. I will fight fairly when the fight is fair, and I will strike quickly and without mercy when it is not.

I will redeem the ignorant with my words and my actions. If they will not turn toward the light, I will redeem them by the sword.

I will not abide evil, and will combat it with steel when words are not enough. I do not flinch from my faith, and do not fear embarrassment. My soul cannot be bought for all the stars in the sky.

I will show the less fortunate the light of the Dawnflower. I will live my life as her mortal blade, shining with the light of truth.

Each day is another step toward perfection. I will not turn back into the dark.

It is only getting uglier from here...

After much conversation between Maudril and Uther about the Inn keeper who is evil. Maudril will not let Uther take her out. Uther is convinced she is working for the witches.

The party moves on to White Throne. After the first night the party awakes to our belongings having been gone through. Uther tracks the perpetrators to a stone nearby where there are some evil gremlin like creatures whom the party engages.

There were six of the creatures among the rocks. Two of them fled and the other four died.

Another day of travel brings snow on the air and wolves near the camp. Orem disappears while gathering firewood. The party searches for him and finds him being pursued by wolves. The wolves are killed, except for the one that Krupe blinded…

The party finds a cottage in the woods. The woman inside wants the party to find her husband who was abducted by a moss troll. She wanted the party to leave Emond and Nadya’s children behind. We took them with us and found the cave she told us about. A humanoid moss covered creature comes at the group and and spews spores at Uther who shrugs off the effect.

Krupe casts sleep upon the creature. It falls to the ground and the moss on him continues to move.

Uther begins to burn the moss from Findgarth. The couple gave us supplies and removed the curse from Maudril’s scimitar.

The next day the party approaches a chain of hills. and sees in the distance red on the ground. It turns out to be a frost drake in a pool of its blood. Also a couple of humans dead also, possible winter guards.

The groups decides that with the drake dead it was a good idea to go to the lair of the remaining drake to finish the job that the winter guards started. When we climb the cliff trail we find other winter guards along the trail. We arrive at the lair in the middle of a frozen waterfall and across the lair are another 6 dead winter guards.

The drake is on eggs in a next and breaths ice at Uther as he approaches. He dodges and take minimal damage.

The group took down the drake but it had five babies. Edmond took one as an animal companion.

The End of Winter

After a not so restful night in the barracks, the party prepares for the final assault of the highest level of the tower.

We again go through the gateway, rising through the tower.

We take a different gate from the second level (one with a red carpet leading to it) and we arrive at the highest level of the dungeon where there is a glowing sphere, a cauldron, two ice sculptures of demons, a mirror on the wall and an apprentice to the witch.

The apprentice holds an icicle in his hand. Uther shatters the mirror. Maudril rushes to the holder of ice… Nadya shoots an arrow fails to strike.

The apprentice rises into the air and takes some arrows and a goat rushes out of an alcove. The apprentice calls ice elementals to attack the party. Uther takes down the goat and an elemental.

The apprentice throws snowballs at the group of people in the gateway entrance. and krupe goes down.

Nadya falls to a pillar of ice that the apprentice magics from the floor, while Maudril defends himself from the remaining ice elementals. Uther attempts to shoot the apprentice from the sky.

The battle is drawn out with the wizard takes many arrows, Edmond is severely wounded. Krupe and Nadya are unconscious.

The wizard takes a few more arrows and flies out the window into the courtyard. Maudril heals others as much as he can and Uther runs through the gateway to pursue the wizard.

The wizard awakens the ice dragon in the courtyard. Fortunately, Uther had hacked off it’s head earlier. (and now wishes he had hacked it to bits).

Uther defends himself against the ice dragon and the wizard again flies away. Those in the tower start shooting arrows at the wizard.

The wizard flies up to attack those in the toward and Edmond and Krupe kills him finally. The wizard splashes on the ground next to Uther. Uther flees from the ice dragon back into the tower.

The party begins to search the upper floor of the tower.

Found two ice statues of women. The second tried to curse Maudril and he destroyed it.

A search of the room got us many potions, many scrolls, a robe, a wand.

Go back to Waldsby and then Nadya is going to help us get to Whitethrone…

The party returned to the tower collect silver bars they left behind. They find a polar bear in the courtyard feeding on some of the bodies. The party skirts it and goes up into the tower and collects the rest of the loot. We return to the courtyard and the polar bear is attacking the dogs at the sleds. We attack and Maudril goes down. Uther defends him and also goes down. Edmond begins to fight. Krupe attacks from the tower walls.

The pale tower assault goes well however i feel it getting into my head. Negative thought are assaulting me from every angle. It seems that every new encounter requires resources we don’t possess. I sense it getting to Vito as well he seems scarce lately. We must both steel ourselves to this obstacle and not let it affect our resolve. If i let such a minor thing get to me like this no way will i be able to be the role model Edmund needs.

Or the Cleric Sucks...

The party rested the night and continued their exploration of the Pale Tower.

The party attempts to use the gates in the tower and searches Vito for the key. Leaving him behind to fend for himself.

The group gets to the next area and there are two sprites, mirrors and a large dining table.

The sprites disapear, Uther opens a door and finds the cook. The cook threatens him and he closes the door. The sprites cast some spell that Uther throws off and he closes the door to the cook. And slings a bullet at one of the sprites and misses. Maudril becomes small suddenly. Krupe enlarges Edmond and the door opens again and the cook makes threatening movements toward Uther with a morning star.

Edmond smashes one of the sprites with his and the sprite shrinks him back to normal size. The cook then become large and is trying to kill Uther. Krupe grows Edmond again and Edmond destroys one of the spites and Uther wound the cook with his Kukri. The cook tries to push by Uther who holds him back in the kitchen and slashes the cook with his scimitar.

Maudril shoots and arrow that hits the door jam. The sprite shrinks Uther down and Krupe grows him back up immediately. Edmond tries to smash the remaining sprite but misses. Nadya finally wakes up from a stupor and attacks the cook with her bow and misses.

Maudril jumps off the table and fires at the cook. The cook forces himself into the room, pushing Uther back who responds by tumbling through his legs and attacking him from behind. and misses. Edmond takes a viscous swing and kills the other sprite.

Nadya hits the cook. Edmond hits the cook. Uther cuts deep with his scimitar and results in an opening to attack again. The cook drops to the ground.

We have won the battle of sizes.

The party starts to explore the outside of the tower and found two bedrooms, the second held the Lady Agentina. She was lying to us and Maudril found that she was evil. Uther reacts by slashing her with his scimitar. The Lady Argentina slapped the hell out of him and he and Maudril engage in battle in the tight bedroom. She turned out to be a doppleganger.

Opening the next door we come into a throne room. Another gateway was in the throne room. and beyond the throne room another gateway. Going into another room there is a shrieking sound and it nauseates most of the party. Something is moving in the room.

Some kind of plant creature attacks the party and Maudril puts it down.

The room across the hall is a library. The party find notes written and Maudril determines the notes are from a guard captain called Hestrick Norloft. Her heritage included a white dragon Auberfex. The dragon in the ice sculpture was off. The mother of the current ruler killed the dragon. The party already killed the guard captain on the first floor.

The party goes through another gateway to the the next level above and there are ravens and a slyph.

All of the party is blinded by the ravens. Krupe put the Slyph and the Ravens to sleep and we healed our eyes and searched the tower. We thebn went to rest.

I have a bad feeling about this

The party decides to go to the Pale Tower and put a stop to the witch’s tyranny.

Approaching the tower, in the daylight through the wind and the blowing snow. We see a dark cloud comes toward us. It is a swarm of ravens. The ravens arrive above the group and fly above us like an arrow pointing us out to anyone watching from the tower. The swarm flies back to the tower.

We approach the tower we see an etching of a gate in a wall. It turns out to be a spell of some kind. A guard pokes his head over the wall and asks what we are doing. Uther says that we are lost travelers and need a map. The guard says leave, go to Waldsby, it is that way.

Edmond attacked the wall with his ax. Maudril smashes through the wall and a terrible cold rushes out.

Behind the wall is a portcullis made of ice and in the courtyard behind that there is a dragon made of ice.

We break through the portcullis and Edmond rushes through. Krupe puts two of the guards asleep and the other flees possibly to get reinforcements. Another ice bar is broken out of the portcullis and Maudril jumps through.

Edmond is attacked by an Ice Troll as the group rushes into the courtyard and the one escaped guard flees to get help.

The guard opens a door and yells “We are being attacked.” Krupe puts the guard to sleep and maybe others in the guardroom. We take the Troll down and three more guards rush out of the guardroom.

they fire their bows into us and miss. Uther lights the troll on fire and Krupe becomes the focus of the guards attacks after casting another sleep spell. Uther burns the troll and runs to the gate to break down the ice but it is very hard and resists most of his efforts.

Krupe takes a horrible wound from an arrow and Maudril heals him directly.

The battle goes on for several minutes, Vito’s healing keeps us going.

Krupe englarged Maudril and Maudril pushed Uther up onto the upper wall. He coup de graced the two remaining sleeping guards and then prepared to assault the tower.

Uther secures a grappling hook by one of the chutes down and the others climb the rope to the upper area.

Maudril breaks through the door.

We penetrate the tower.

The guards rally in the center of the tower’s first floor. One appears encased in ice and the ice melts away. A large woman with a great sword is waiting and a water elemental rises out of the pool of water in the center of the tower. Maudril is basically alone at the beginning of the battle as other party members infiltrate the tower from above.

The rest of the party enters the fray and Maudril heals himself before he passes out from blood loss. Maudril and Uther gang up on the elemental. Eventually we put the elemental down. Uther starts breaking mirrors and are around the ground floor of the tower. Under the assumption that the witch can use them to watch us.